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      Information and History

      The Lord Mayor’s Chain of Office

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      The Lord Mayor’s Chain of Office was made in 1901 by the Hanoverian jewellers Lahmeyer und Sohn for the city director at that time, Heinrich Tramm, at a cost of 13000 Gold Marks from approx. 1750 grams of 18-carat yellow gold and white gold.

      The golden, richly decorated Chain of Office of Hannover's Lord Mayor © LHH

      The Chain of Office was made in the year 1901.

      Initially the plaited interwoven chain links were decorated with a crested centrepiece carrying a portrait of Emperor Wilhelm II. Following the end of the monarchy in 1918, until 1950 the Chain was not used any more, but stored in a safe in the Town Hall.

      The Chain was redesigned by jewellers in 1950: Its former centrepiece with the portrait of Wilhelm II as well as some surplus chain links are today kept in Hannover’s Historical Museum (Historisches Museum).

      In 1950 the City Arms of Hannover – created from white gold and enamel, mother-of-pearl, sapphire, diamonds and pearls – which had initially been attached below the Emperor’s portrait became the Chain’s new centrepiece. The Chain of Office is valued at around 90000 Euro.

      Only the Lord Mayor may wear this Chain of Office – and then only on especially prestigious occasions in the State Capital such as receptions at the Town Hall for heads of state or heads of government, bestowals of honorary citizenship, and also for the appointment of the Bruchmeister at the beginning of the Schützenfest fair.

      The Chain of Office is stored in a specially lined case in the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus).